1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed to a chronological display device that couples a continuous time display with a visual depiction of an event and continuously informs a viewer of time interval from the unchanging depicted event to present time, or remaining time to a future unchanging depicted event.
2. Description of Prior Art
Electronic and mechanical time pieces having the capability to measure and display lapse time from a starting time have been available for many years. These electronic devices use liquid crystal displays or analog display faces of time measurement to indicate lapse time or alternatively to start a signal when a particular time arrives. Mechanical devices are also used with or without some electronics. The only reference is time--lapsed seconds, minutes, hours, days, months and years measured from starting time to present time.
Some time pieces may record more than one event, such as explained in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,630,935 and 4,303,995. These devices indicate a plurality of dates and relate elapsed time from a starting time of each date or time. All such time devices relate to calendar dates, time periods, and numerical relationships of beginning and ending elapse times.
The original event from which the elapse time is measured is known only to the operator of the time piece. Others observing the time piece have no reference to the starting event or time. The actual event that the referred elapse time measures must be stored separately in human memory, computers, notes, or note books. For long elapsed time periods of months or years, or when a plurality of times are recorded, remembering or finding the relationship of an elapse time indicator to an event becomes difficult.
A camera with an elapsed time indicator (U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,025) photographs a current event. This camera records the event but cannot display the picture. The developed picture does not display continually elapsing time. Additional photographs do not indicate the unchanging first event and only record a fixed and unchanging elapsed time.
Many people display reminders of significant events in their lifetimes to recall achievements, honors, and pleasant events. These include photographs and certificates of marriages, graduations, professional achievements, child births, vacations etc. However these displays of the unchanging event do not reflect the increasing time to make the viewer aware of the continual passing of time or approaching time for a future depicted event. People striving to complete work before a future time event occasionally and mentally calculate remaining times but are not always aware of periods of time remaining to complete a task. This especially happens when many projects are pursued at the same time.
The present invention depicts important unchanging events with an associated continuing time indicator that will immediately and visually remind the viewer of the event, indicate time interval from the event, and continue on in perpetual relation to the displayed event. If the depicted event is in the future, the present invention indicates and reminds the user of the time remaining to the important depicted event to assist future planning and scheduling.